Pod Chocolate Bali culinary

A swirling mix of Indonesian, Chinese, and Indian flavors combine to create the culinary tapestry that is Balinese food. Imagine banana leafs piled high with spice-rubbed suckling pig, fresh-from-the sea fish grilled over open fires, and lemongrass skewers threaded through smoky bites of chicken. Family-run warungs are the defacto restaurants when seeking out affordable and home-cooked eats, while fine dining options and street food stalls fill in the gaps for those who want to dine out at either end of the price spectrum. The best way to take your tastebuds on a test run of Bali’s cuisine is on a guided tour. From hands-on cooking classes that teach you how to create some of the island’s signature dishes on your own to immersive walking tours set on uncovering the best bites hidden in bustling markets, there’s always something new to discover in the kitchen of this Indonesian paradise.

Pod Chocolate Bali is one of Bali’s few chocolatiers that treats those with a sweet tooth to its full range of handmade delights, while also offering us the chance to learn the process of chocolate-making from bean to bar at its own quaint factory and workshop in central Bali. Meanwhile, closer to the crowds, its small café on Kuta’s Sunset Road is a cool stopover showcasing its growing range of chocolate morsels and desserts. The factory up in the forested village area of Carangsari, an approximate 90-minute transfer from Kuta, welcomes families to its insightful tours and workshops. A typical tour at the Pod Chocolate Bali factory begins with a warm welcome drink – an interesting chocolate shot. You will then be taken through each of the steps of the chocolate making process, from selections of cacao beans from the nearby plantation, raw harvest, to fermentation roasting.

At the Pod Chocolate Bali plantation you will also get to taste cacao beans in their purest, newly-harvested form, all while learning about the planting and harvesting process, including pests that usually occur in nature. Before the beans are sent to fermentation and roasting, they are white and somewhat moist, with a light and sweet taste, and consistency similar to mangosteen. Some kids will be surprised of the fact that chocolate ‘grows’ on trees! The family package includes chocolate tasting, chocolate making, light refreshments and lunch at the café, at USD 232. Meanwhile, at the onsite café and their Sunset Road branch located just between Rip Curl and Carrefour Plaza Kuta, you can try from their eclectic selection of pralines. These come with a rich assortment of fillings, from tropical fruits such as passion fruit, apricot, lime and guava, to truly unconventional flavours such as sea salt caramel, nutmeg, cardamom, and even Szechwan pepper, arak and star anise! For a unique dine-in treat at Pod Chocolate Bali, try their fondues, which come in white, milk chocolate and dark, as a 150gr, 200gr and a ‘private gathering’ portion of 300gr for up to six persons (USD 4-8 or IDR 60,000-120,000) and comes with a serving of marshmallows and strawberries. Drinks are unsurprisingly not too far from chocolate related, with hot chocolate and Frappuccino from USD 3 (IDR 45,000). Pod Chocolate Bali also has a growing hotel and restaurant portfolio, supplying local Balinese chocolate blocks and drops for pastries, bakeries and chocolatiers island-wide. So next time dining out at any of the major restaurants in Bali, look out for their mention under the desserts section. Or if you’re out of ideas for next Valentine’s, check out their range of in-season chocolate hearts, filled with mango-passion and strawberry-rose ganache. Their bars are good to take on your flight back and as gifts – small 45gr bars are USD 2 (IDR 30,000); 100gr bars at USD 4 (IDR 60,000). 

Read more at: http://www.bali-indonesia.com/